The Hunter and the Huntress
by EagleFeathersInMyHair
Summary: She was a goddess, Lady of the Hunt and Wilderness. He was the Hunter, greatest of all the land. The story of Sesshoumaru as Orion the Hunter and Kagome as Artemis of the Forests and Hills told in three chapters.
1. He was the Hunter

She was a goddess, Lady of the Hunt and Wilderness. He was the Hunter, greatest of all the land. Their love was forbidden, despised by the gods. Neither could have predicted such a violent end, nor could they have known that their tale would be forever painted with stars across the night sky. The story of Sesshoumaru as Orion the Hunter and Kagome as Artemis of the Forests and Hills told in three chapters.

In Which the Author Types at You, and you attempt to read before getting fed up and just skipping it altogether:

Thank you for joining me! This story was inspired by a conversation with the ball-and-chain-to-be, who is indeed watching over my shoulder as I type this. *turns and glares*

Though I've heard of Sesshoumaru and Kagome used as Persephone and Hades, I've not seen them as Artemis and Orion. If you've read such a story, well then, why haven't I? If you do know of an existing fic, please do tell me in your review *hinthint* and I'll be glad to check it out!

This just seemed too perfect. For you mytho-geeks, you probably have heard of Artemis being depicted with a bow and arrow. She was later identified with the moon through the form of Selene, a goddess usually shown with the crescent moon upon her brow. She was also later identified with Diana the Archer.

There are many forms of the story of Orion, so if I say something you think is sketchy, chances are that I really did find it somewhere. This will be the account that I first heard, waaaaay back in the day, which was a Wednesday, by the way. (Cookies for anyone that gets the reference!) Though I will be taking a couple of liberties, main events are the same.

Yeah, this is mostly me trying to get rid of my writer's block. More Hakidonmuya chapters coming soon!...hopefully….

I don't own this. So don't hate on me in the form of a law suit.

...

/|\\

Always I have been the Hunter. My deeds are great, my travels far. I have seen and done things that no weaker man can ever lay claim to.

I go by many names. To some I am only my conquests, earning me the name of Killing Perfection. Always, first and foremost, I am the Hunter.

My father is the great god Poseidon, brother of Zeus. My mother is the woman Euryale, daughter to the king Minos of Crete. Though only half a god, I have received immense power from my father. These powers have never failed me, though they have led me into difficulty.

One instance stands out in my memory, never leaving me as the years drag on.

A man, a half god, such as myself is prone to becoming weary of the more mundane processes of the world. I have had many adventures and to return to the dull hum of everyday life can only be described as a bore. With this boredom in my heart, I set off on foot, across the ocean. This, being my father's domain, has never been anything less than solid to me, solid as the rockiest road, whereas to many, it is a liquid illusion, not quite fantasy and not quite solid. A great power is traversing the ocean on foot, and it was my frivolous use of this strength that brought such inconvenience down upon me.

For a long while I strode across the Aegean, named for the father of Theseus who drowned himself in that very body of water. I came upon a small island that I now know of as Chios, though then it was only to be a brief amusement in an ever-moving world.

I didn't know that my deeds there would lead to me being hailed as a hero, only to be shunned by the very same people that worshipped me a short time later.

Coming upon this small bit of land, tossed carelessly into the Aegean by the immortal gods themselves, I found that it could provide me a respite from the tedious doings of my birthplace, Hyria of Boeotia. This land was filled with most fearsome of monsters. They had the teeth of those that rend flesh to stay alive; the claws of those that hunt and are not hunted; the armor of those that need it, determined to attack with no thought to defense.

But I was the Hunter.

And I would be victorious.

My strength never failed me, my thrusts struck true. Many beasts were felled by my blade, never to rise again into the world of the living. I fought them all. I effectively extinguished the lives of all the beasts that stood against me, until there were none. I was surrounded by nothing but the splatter of blood and the echoes of their primal screams of agony.

None of this I did for those people. I fought only for myself, for my entertainment. They called me a hero. They called me a savior. They called me a godsend, unaware of just how close they came to the truth.

They are the people of Chios, the ones who believed I destroyed the beasts of their land to save their insignificant lives. Those people that believed I had heard rumor of their plight and come to save them from the beasts that ruined their villages and decimated their crops. They were completely wrong, though I did not point this out to them when they began their shouts of worship and preparations for a feast, to be held in my honor. I did not tell them this because even a hero has to eat.

The people made merry that night in my name. I was their excuse to revel in the ways of Dionysus, with much wine and laughter. I did not begrudge them their happiness, instead taking full advantage of all they were willing to offer. If I were to be completely honest with myself and others, I would reveal that perhaps I envied them. I envied them their small lives, the way they were content with their short and uneventful existence. Regardless, I took what they gave in exchange for what I saw as nothing.

That is, until they offered _her_.

She was the daughter of Chios' king, Oenopion. Her name was Merope and she was to be given to me as a wife, a payment of sorts for the assistance I had given.

No one asked if I wanted a wife. If they had, I would have told them that no, I do not want a wife, but could you please pass the wine?

I still remember the great uproar that came with my refusal to wed this plain and meaningless girl. I did not tell the king that she meant little in the grand scheme of things. I did not tell him, her respected father, that she would be nothing but a hindrance, an unwanted burden to my wandering lifestyle. I was free, unfettered, and to have this woman attached to my name would be another obligation, another duty, another that I was expected to provide for at the cost of my honor.

"You, great Hunter, have done us a service. For this, I must thank you. I give you my daughter for your wife, and I will be proud to call you my son," that buffoon of a king had told me, a witless grin stretching across his time-worn face. He assumed too much, and it grated on my nerves. And all who knew me were aware of the fact that my nerves did not stretch far on the greatest of days.

"What if I do not want your daughter?" A collective gasp from the crowd met my inquiry. "What if I do not desire, much less require, a wife? What if I already have a wife at home to meet me at the end of my travels?" I wished only to show him the error in his assumptions. He thought he was more than he was, which was in fact only a minor king on a minor island, far away from the more powerful land of my birth.

Or so I thought. Oenopion was not the only one to make assumptions that night.

By the end of my rhetorical questioning, a shocked hush had fallen over the gathered people of Chios. None dared move or breathe in the face of what they expected to be their king's rage. I had denied his daughter, an action that could easily be considered an insult. I did not necessarily mean it in such a way, but I also did not make a point to dispel any doubts about its intended meaning. This was a great folly on my part.

To his credit, Oenopion did not give the reaction his people dreaded. He comported himself with the dignity of a higher official, giving diplomacy in front of those he ruled and dealing out punishment in private.

This prideful king accepted my denial in good spirits, letting his people feel humbled by their kind and merciful ruler. The crowd gradually dissipated, moving off to continue in their revelry through the night. I was offered shelter in the home of Oenopion and accepted, slightly relieved to find that no ill will was put my way. Not that he mattered, really, in my thoughts at that time. It was more that I could leave this place well-rested and in what could pass for high humor on the morrow.

Leaving my feast early, I prepared to retire. Oenopion followed on the premise of seeing me safely to my room for I was an honored guest. Upon reaching my chamber, he allowed his anger to reveal itself. He told me that he was the son of the god Dionysus and held great power. He was insulted by my self-righteous manner and believed I had scorned his daughter while showing no reservations about taking his food and wine. He vowed revenge, but told me nothing else. I responded that I intended to leave his island immediately and not give him a chance. I found his response to this acceptable – he told me that he would take no action against me, for this was a night of honor for me. I held him at his word and trusted him as a guest-friend.

He told me no lie. He did not indulge in his revenge that night. But his father did.

/|\\

I slept well in the home of my enemy. I woke early, planning to leave at the first light of dawn. I expected the sunlight to pour through my window and filter through my eyelids as it had always done, signaling my preferred time of waking. I waited and waited for this to happen, for I awoke in the darkness thinking that I was simply a bit early.

Dawn never came for me. I opened my eyes and there was nothing. Nothing but an endless blackness, waiting to swallow me whole and leave me but a whisper in time, to be forgotten by the world. Then I would truly cease to exist.

Forcing myself to heed the more rational part of my mind, I came to the only conclusion: I was blind.

It was with this admission that the memories returned. There were the blurred forms of dancing satyrs, companions to Dionysus. They played their pipes and lulled me to sleep. Just as I reached my deepest slumber, there was a great flash of light, and then… nothing. My vision gone, I fell back into the cradling arms of darkness.

And now there I was, an enemy in a foreign land with no vision to see my way home. I was a hunter blinded, now rendered completely useless. With a stroke of horror, I pictured the milky color that my eyes must have been.

I had no choice but to leave, for it was then that Oenopion himself came to my chamber to rouse me. He forced me out, telling me all the while that I would find no help in his people.

I stumbled for what I assume was many days, drinking only when I tripped into a source of water. I lost track of time, unable to use the sun as a guide. Looking back, my thought that luck had preserved me was laughable. Never would I have survived without the help of divine intervention.

Though I did not know it then, I had made my way to Lemnos. Lemnos, the place of the forge of smith-god Hephaestus, was to also be the place of my rescue.

Never would I have thought to meet the god Hephaestus himself, son of Zeus and Hera. Though lamed by a fall from Olympus into the sea, he is smith to the gods and holds great power. I came upon his forge one day with no intentions of doing so.

"Who goes there?" called a booming voice to me. "Why do you seek my forge?"

Truthfully, I had no knowledge of the speaker, though I was wise enough to know that I was at a great disadvantage and at that point, being polite was my best option.

"It is I, the one known as the Hunter. I do not seek your forge; I am blind and came across this place in my stumbling travels."

Little did I know that the god Hephaestus would consider us to be united by the bond of disability. He was lame and a disgrace to the gods. I was blind, a Hunter that could not hunt.

After a short time of thought, he decided to help the blind traveler that had met a god by accident. He provided me the warm shelter of his forge and the nourishment of proper food before giving me his servant, Cedalion, to guide me on my way. He told me of a place to the east, the home of the rising sun. This was the land of Helios, the great sun god. Traveling to this place would be my only hope.

And so we left, Cedalion on my shoulder to guide me every step of the way. After a time we made it to the home of Helios and I was blessed with the sight of all that is revealed in the light of the growing dawn.

I thought to take my revenge on Oenopion for my time of disgrace, but upon my return, I found that he had turned coward and hidden underground to escape my fury.

It was after this time that I made my way to Crete.

It was there that I met her, the famed and powerful Goddess of the Hunt.

/|\\

Will post the second part tomorrow-ish! Please review! And yes, the next part has a further explanation of what I'm going for. I know I don't actually call him Sesshoumaru, but you get it, right? It's him in spirit.


	2. She was the Huntress

So I just wrote the first part, and realized that people are going to wonder how this is Sess/Kag. While I do suppose it could be a stand-alone retelling of Orion's legend, it's more the mannerisms I'm going for. I could just call them Sesshoumaru and Kagome and retype the legend word-for-word. Or I could do what I'm doing, making each character take on the spirit of the Inuyasha characters. For example, in my version, Orion is honorable, though he does nothing without a reason. He doesn't lie, but he doesn't give information without being motivated to do so. Everything he does is done carefully with his own interests in mind, while not hurting others just for the fun of it. Just like Sesshoumaru, no? In the original, any version, Orion is raping somebody. Either he attacks Artemis, her companion, or Merope. I don't think Sesshoumaru would willingly rape someone. I refuse to read those fanfics in which he rapes Kagome for that very reason.

And as you will see with Artemis, she becomes more like Kagome in this story. As a BA goddess of the Hunt, Artemis would most likely not have been sweet and innocent with that Kagome charm we all give her in our writing. She would probably have been a strong, independent, I-dare-you-to-back-sass-me-inferior-human kind of woman. Err, goddess.

Either way, that's my logic. Don't like it, don't read it. If you're enjoying the story then please, by all means, read on! And please review:) Let me know if I should even bother posting the rest of this monstrosity.

Last chapter was "Orion"; this chapter will be Kagome as Artemis. This is when you get to see them interact.:)

/|\\

I was born into power. Ever since my birth, the heartbeat of the Earth has been my own. The birds of the woodlands sing for my ears alone and rivers rage through my veins. There is no part of the forests and woodlands that I do not see; no footsteps fall that I do not hear; no tree falls that I do not feel and subsequently ache for the absence of.

I am Lady of the Hunt. My power is pure, my archery flawless. They call me "Khryselakatos" – Of the Golden Shaft. I embody the forests of the wild lands. I always have and I always will.

I am born of Leta, Titan goddess of what cannot be seen, and Zeus, king of Mount Olympus. I am twin sister to Apollo, god of Healing and Plague, Light and Prophecy, leader of the Choir of Muses. We complement each other well, I suppose. He is a burning flame, banishing darkness from the corners of the world, bringing both land and truth to light. I am darker, embracing the depths of night and making it my own, chaste in my heart and in my actions.

And so, imagine my own surprise when I did something so immodest as to appear to a man as a beautiful human woman. Yes, I really did such a thing! But I couldn't resist. This man was nothing like I had ever seen. He was handsome and strong. I had even heard that he was the greatest hunter on all the Earth; this just made him more intriguing to me, the eternal Huntress. What was I to do? With the blood of humans flowing in his veins, he was mortal. His parenting, the blood of my uncle Poseidon, would ensure him a very long life by human standards, but he was still nothing. He would only live for so long and I could never die. Surely it would be best to meet him now, before his short life flashed by and he was nothing but dust in the winds of time?

My decision was made for me one day when I was simply enjoying one of my forests in Crete, feeling completely at home. I sensed a human nearby and paid no attention to it. It wasn't until I heard the baying of hunting dogs and saw the enormous bull deer – reminiscent of the first deer I captured with his shining antlers – that I decided to investigate.

Upon my probing of the memories of the surrounding trees, I was able to get a mental image of the one that pursued my sacred deer. It was him, the one they called the Hunter!

I knew I could leave and he would never know I was even there, but I wasn't going to be so shy. What sort of goddess cowers at the mere thought of meeting a human man? I made myself take the form of a regular woman, albeit a tad more attractive than most. I no longer radiated the power of the gods, but surely he would see that I was special?

Not certain as to why I was second-guessing myself, I lowered myself from my perch in the high branches of my sacred cypress tree and stood in the middle of the path I knew he would take. Sure enough, the deer rushed by, sensing my intent, but the dogs stopped as soon as they saw me. Animals always know me, no matter what form I choose to take. It is humans that ignore their basic instincts and can no longer feel the hum of power, lying dormant within me.

He came crashing through the trees to see me enjoying the company of his supposedly vicious hunting dogs, a confused look on his face. He wanted to berate them for losing their target, I could tell, but something held him back.

"Hello, my lady. May I ask your name?" he inquired, thoroughly bewildered. I supposed I could understand his puzzlement. All the women he knew would likely be disgusted at the thought of touching a slobbering dog.

What I didn't understand, however, was my reaction to his words. They were spoken only out of courtesy, though I was suddenly blushing like the most untouched of maidens! The human form was getting to me, I decided. I needed the strength of my true self to aid me.

Allowing my illusion to drop, I stood before the Hunter as the goddess I had always been. My deep black hair tumbled to my slim waist and I grew to my full height, a bit taller than my dainty human height. My tunic was similar to his, reaching only to my knees. My golden bow and quiver reappeared on my shoulder, a comfort to me.

I watched the awe in his eyes as he saw a pretty young woman transform into the goddess he no doubt knew from the likenesses in my temples. The presence of his hunting dogs around me would only have added to the similarities, I realized later.

I allowed him to take in the full effect of my true self before asking, "Do you recognize me now?" I tried to give him a small smile in hopes of reducing the tension. He was a human. Certainly this was strange enough for him without me making it uncomfortable as well.

He only nodded in response and for a moment I thought that I would get no further affirmation from him. Then he surprised me by squaring his shoulders and setting his jaw.

"Yes, my lady. You are Queen of the Forest, the eternal Huntress. It is… it is my honor to be in your presence." His voice became strong as he spoke, his confidence clearly returning. I liked him; he was not weak like most humans and he seemed honorable enough. I smiled once again, only for him, but bigger this time. I wanted him to see that this was a meeting of friends and that I meant him no ill will.

"Very good," I reassured. "Now tell me: will you hunt with me?" I held out my hand to him, not missing the flash of surprise that was visible only for a split second on his beautiful features.

He approached and took my hand, bowing over it. For the first time, in all the time I had watched over this curious one (for yes, it was I who gently guided him through the forests in his blindness to Lemnos), I saw him smile. It was small and fleeting, but it sparked as it reached his eyes and I reveled in it. I became that smile; I lived for that little flame that burned in his eyes when he looked at me.

"Yes, my lady… let us hunt."

And with that one statement of acceptance, full of passion and anticipation, we began our hunt. My golden longbow was strung and in my grasp in but an instant, an arrow nocked and ready to fly. The dogs took off at his signal, trying to pick up the trail of something worth our time.

That was the first of many hunts we had together. These were the best hunts of all my many years, even surpassing the joy of my first hunt, that glorious moment I caught my shining dear, falling in love with the animal's beauty, his grace. It was then that I had declared the deer sacred to me.

In a way, I felt as if I had caught this great Hunter, making him my sacred object as well. He made me feel like the sweet young women that we would sometimes watch from Olympus, blushing and sighing, hanging on every word spilled from a lover's lips.

/|\\

Alas, our hunts could not stay secret for long. The gods are immortal; we have all the time in the world to do anything we want. This leads to the inclination to sit and act like petulant children more often than not. We meddle in each other's affairs, pretending that our power is the best thing in the world. In fact, we are jealous of the mortals, though you will never find a god willing to tell you this. We truly are, simply because nothing we do has meaning to us. We toy with the lives of mortals when we have nothing else to do, simply because we can. To mortals, those that could die at any minute, at any second, the world is precious. Flowers are more beautiful, the running stream sings louder, the smell of a crackling fire stings the nostrils in a more sinfully pleasant way. Such things are fleeting, temporary as well; the gods are the only constant in this world.

As is the way of the immortal beings, my family soon discovered my hunts with the human man. My brother, Apollo, even went so far as to suggest we were lovers. I blushed even as I emphatically denied his claim, giving away either my actions or thoughts, none of the others could quite tell.

My statement was truthful. Though we lingered together longer than necessary at some times, talking and enjoying the warmth of the other's body, the Hunter and I had made no move to take our relationship forward. In the depths of my heart, I knew I wanted to. But I was much too shy for such things! And a relationship with a mortal would only end in heartache.

I knew this, and yet I continued. We went on much in the way we always had, meeting in the forests of Crete, sneaking glances and finding excuses to move nearer one another. And so it should have been no surprise that my feelings also continued to grow. It was now that I wanted nothing more than for him to reach out and touch me, place his lips on mine. I wished to feel his rough hands on my skin and his strong muscles under my own dainty appendages. I wanted him to look down at me with my own feelings reflected in his eyes.

Apollo saw my budding emotions. He was my twin – how could he not notice such open displays of girlish ardor? Now I regret my obvious maneuvers, for this would be the downfall of my relationship with the Hunter.

Apollo was forever a jealous one. We were close, had always been so. We were born together and grew up together, each knowing completely the inner workings of the other's mind. Seeing my love for the Hunter, knowing that this was something I could not share with him, Apollo became crazed with envy.

He warned me, in his own way. He gave hints about his worries for my chastity, the way I gave my heart away to a human in a relationship that could end with nothing but tragedy.

But still, I saw none of this. Perhaps I was too blinded by my first true love to see it. Or perhaps I did not wish to see it, instead choosing to go on as I was, in my own little fantasy where I could be with the Hunter forever. Either way, I made a grievous mistake and ignored what any fool would have seen.

Imagine the spiral I was thrown into the day the Hunter dared to kiss me.

It was the most glorious day for me. But for Apollo, it was the final straw.

He did not make his intentions known. I, like the good, sweet twin sister, played into his every move, like I was the puppet and he the joyful puppeteer.

/|\\

I still remember the day my whole world changed. I never even saw it coming, so secure in my naïve beliefs that the world was sunshine and rainbows.

"Sister!" Apollo called out to me. I turned to see him pointing, down into the crashing waves. "Sister! Bring your bow! I've a challenge for you."

Seeing no problem in a bit of a challenge, I gathered my golden bow and gilded arrows before joining my twin.

"You see that small dot down there, Sister? You see? I challenge you to hit that mark. Surely you can't hit it from all the way up here on Mount Olympus," he scoffed at me, his light taunting a familiar thing.

He knew me. He knew that I had worked many long hours to become the bowmistress I was, perfecting my craft and honing my aim.

"I accept your challenge!" I declared with a light laugh, believing that this was just a silly game, the sort Apollo and I had once played. In my mind, the speck was a bit of driftwood, bobbing up and down in the waves.

I nocked my arrow and pulled my bowstring taut. Taking aim, I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. At the very bottom of my breath out, I let fly.

My arrow struck true, hitting the target dead center.

The joy I felt at rising to the challenge was cut short when I felt a sharp pain, just where I assumed my secret heart of hearts would be.

He was gone. My Hunter was dead.

And suddenly, I realized… I had killed him.

/|\\

I denied it to myself, even as I stared down at the undeniable proof. There, with a sparkling arrow sprouting from a crater in his skull, was my Hunter.

My heart twisted painfully at the thought of him, just out for a swim in the ocean when all of a sudden the life was stolen from his precious body.

It was then that I set my resolve.

One so strong did not deserve such a death. It was honor to die in battle, but this? There was no honor in the death I dealt him.

I collected my love, my Hunter, and brought him to lie at the feet of my nephew, Asclepius. Asclepius is the son of Apollo and the woman Coronis, raised by Chiron, and acts as the god of medicine and healing. If anyone could return the life to my Hunter, it was him.

Asclepius agreed to help me, though it was his own father that encouraged me to take the Hunter's life in the first place.

It was Zeus, my honored father, who came upon us before Asclepius could complete the task.

"What is it that you do here?" he inquired. He knew the story of my love for the Hunter and Apollo's scheme.

Asclepius, ever helpful, replied for me.

"I will use my power of healing to raise this man from the dead," he said. Suddenly I saw the irony of the situation: he was going to use powers of healing inherited from his father to heal the man said father worked to destroy.

Zeus sighed and shook his head. He had always had a soft spot for his daughters and hated disappointing us in any way.

"Daughter, you know that he is mortal. He will die soon enough anyway. Is it not better to let go now before you become even more attached?" His voice was soft and gentle, as if he wanted to tell me something I didn't already know. Oh, but I knew it. All too well.

I also knew that my father saw my Hunter as nothing more than a little human pet that I had taken a liking to. This was the way that all affairs between the Olympians and mortals went. But ours went deeper, and no one could understand without experiencing it first.

"No, Father. He died without the honor he deserved. I would give him a second chance."

Another chance for me as well. If he was alive, I had no guilt.

My father took a long moment before replying.

"I will allow this. But before you are allowed to see this man once again, he must prove himself. He must do a great deed to earn this second chance and your love."

Of course I agreed. How could I not? My Hunter was special, he could do anything if he tried.

I suppose it wasn't my right to make such an agreement. I effectively sealed the Hunter's fate that day, bringing him back to life my only goal.

By any means necessary.

With my acceptance of the terms, all seemed to become right with the world again. Asclepius brought back my Hunter and he was just as strong, vibrant, _beautiful_ as ever.

But there was still the matter of a deal to discuss.

/|\\

Third part soon! Please review… it means so much to my poor-starving-college-student self!


	3. It was the End

Okay! So here's the deal.

I had to write this fic, simply because as soon as I had the idea… it wouldn't go away. And now I love the concept.

So here's a vote for you, my lovelies:)

I'm loving Sess/Kag mytho-style. And I was already planning on doing a series of one-shots using Amerindian legends because everyone loves the cultural aspect found in my fic, "Hakidonmuya – Time of the Waiting Moon", and I've so many great stories I want to use! So I was wondering… should I write more of these little stories, or even one-shots, using Greek/Roman/any-freaking-thing-else myths? And should they be included in the same one-shot collection as the aboriginal ones? Vote away, my loves! Leave me a review to tell me what you think, and tell me how you liked this story in general:)

Oh. Beeteedubs, I call them lovers, but they're not lovers in the bowchickawowow sense, just the I-love-you-you-love-me-awww-how-sweet sense.

On with the show!

...

/|\\

From the moment I first saw her, she was special. Even in the guise of a human, she had a glow about her, a strong thrum of power that shook me to the very core, resonating deep within my chest and vibrating in my veins.

I was never a man to love. Love was fleeting, a mere amusement created by lesser beings to explain their need to couple. I was the son of Poseidon, the great Wave Walker. I lasted where others could not. I endured while they passed on to the world of Hades, right alongside their "love."

But she was different. She provided a precious respite from the mundane goings-on of everyday life, yes, but… this was nothing I had ever known. She was more beautiful than even the fairest of humans, enough to rival Helen herself. I wanted for nothing in her presence. Her power drew me in, her heart caught me as a rabbit in a snare, and her charm kept me content to be so.

My Huntress – for yes, she was _mine_ – would last. She was a daughter of Mount Olympus, immortal and unending. She could stay with me until my end, whenever that may be, and I would die happy in the warm circle of her deceptively soft arms.

I came up with many reasons for this new phenomenon. I told myself that she was simply a challenge, a rival in the hunt that I wanted to pit myself against, hoping to prove my skill greater than the mother goddess of the hunt itself. I told myself that I was only looking for another amusement, and what better than a chaste goddess that gave me her heart like a blushing human maiden? I even told myself that I wanted to show my worth. The son of a god, consort to the goddess of the Hills and Forests, She of the Golden Shaft.

I did myself a great disservice with these claims. Good thing I never once believed them.

This one did not waste his time, and any of the aforementioned reasons would have been just so – not worth my time and effort. What I felt was something different, but very real. Very much alive. It was not something that could be contained in such an insignificant word as _love_, though I supposed it would have to do. I had none better, and there was no way I could invent such an all-encompassing term so as to describe the way my heart sang at the vey sight of her. The way I knew that, even though she had admittedly more strength than I, I would protect her until my dying breath.

I just never expected said breath to come by her hand.

/|\\

The day was warm, the water cool. I sought relief from the heat and the strenuous training I inflicted upon myself in the waters of the sea. This was my inherited home and the surf rose to greet me. I was comfortable here. I waited for the tug of the waves to pull the tension from my tired muscles.

I did not achieve this level of relief, finding instead that I was plunged into darkness.

Upon rising from the darkness, I did not see the familiar landscape of the shore, nor even the endless waves of the sea. I was in a dark realm, and before me lay a river. Raising my eyes to observe the river, I saw a figure enveloped by shadows, a long beard adorning his chin. His sunken cheeks were blanched of all color, giving the illusion of one dead.

It was with that thought that I knew. This was the Underworld. Here came Kharon, son of Hades and Nyx, to ferry me across the river Styx, border to the realm of Hades. This river, the main river of Tartarus, flowed into the other rivers of the Underworld, the Acheron and Cocytus. It flowed forth from the river Phlegethon to form the border of Hades.

I looked past the shores of this river and was greeted with a sight I had expected – the looming form of Cerberus, the three-headed dog, protecting the entrance to Hades.

Hearing distraught moans, I turned to look, not a single thought in my mind about what I would see.

There in front of me were vast hordes of the spirits of the dead. These were the ones that could not cross the river, for they were left alone and without the proper funeral rites. The time spent wandering aimlessly showed on their haggard faces, their mouths agape with the sounds of their moans.

I was to be one of them. I held no obolus, no coin to pay my way. I would spend all of eternity in this place, this place I knew to be Erebus, named for the son of Chaos and Gaia, caught between the world of the living and of the dead.

Kharon came to a stop at the edge of the river. His eyes, full of endless sorrow and death, flashed at me as he held out his hand in a waiting gesture. He wanted me to give him my golden coin, my fee to cross, but there was nothing I could do. I shook my head and he lowered his hand.

Absently I made a mental note to be angry at the one who dared leave me without coin to cross the river. It was disgrace for one such as I to be left here in Erebus for all of eternity.

It was while I was caught in the midst of this peculiar thought that Kharon did something curious: he lifted his bony hand once more and beckoned to me. I knew not why he would allow me to pass without the necessary fee, but I was not going to question such a development.

I boarded the ferry and we crossed the river Styx. We made our way past the dog Cerberus and through the gates of Hades in our ferry. Our course led us away from the Styx and onto a river whose name I did not know; I was not terribly familiar with the exact geography of this Underworld, though I supposed I would find out in time.

I hid my surprise when the ferry slowed, showing that we had reached our destination. The surrounding land was filled with asphodel flowers and poplar trees. I saw around me the great virtuous heroes that I had come to know through the stories of old. And so I came to know the Elysian Fields, home to the spirits of fallen heroes and initiates in the Mysteries.

Faintly I wondered if I would meet the god Hades, for he was, in fact, my uncle.

Stepping deeper into the field of white flowers, there suddenly appeared before me what looked to be a mirror. Its frame was adorned with depiction of snakes and vultures, an eagle at the top; I recognized these all as symbols of Ares, god of war. How very appropriate for such things to be seen in a place of fallen heroes.

It was in this mirror that, when I peered deeply, I glimpsed the events the led to my own death. A strange feeling, that. But nevertheless informative, and I found that ice began to creep around my heart at the sight.

It was her. It was my love that took my life, she that let fly the arrow of death. And she that would have let me sit in the rotting place called Erebus, never to move on. Ice came to coexist with fire as my rage mounted. I saw nothing but her, pulling taut the bowstring and loosing the golden arrow, fletched with the feathers of a buzzard hawk.

But then there she was, in all of her shining beauty. I had paid little attention to her words up until this time, believing them to be feeble, speaking nowhere near as strongly as her actions. It was then, as I saw my own lifeless body laying limp in the warm shelter of her arms, that I heard her voice bargaining for my life.

My anger slipped away, the ice melting even as the fire dimmed. Her love for me shone through in the way she spoke with passion in her voice, warmth and the sorrow of loss in her moist eyes. I wanted nothing more than to do the impossible, reach out and brush the tears from her porcelain cheek.

My last though as I faded once more into the blackness was that I could never do such again.

/|\\

I could feel the life enter his body once again. My Hunter's face was no longer drained of color and he no longer lay limp in my arms. I reached down to stroke his face and welcome him into the world, but was stopped by the firm voice of my father.

"Daughter. A deal has been made." He said no more, but I understood his meaning. My love had been granted his life, my father's end of the bargain upheld. I could not indulge in the feel of the Hunter's strangely soft skin just yet; he still had to prove his worth.

I nodded and left them there, my Hunter cushioned by the sand, accompanied by the glow of Zeus and Asclepius the healer. Once again I returned to the top of Mount Olympus, finding it to have the feel of a prison more than a home now that my world was not to include my mortal love.

But then… our bargain was that I may not see the human. I quickly decided that my father had meant in person and called forth a favor from Prometheus, Titan god of clever council. It was he that gifted me with a looking glass of sorts, through which I was able to view the doings of my beloved.

I looked on eagerly as he was informed of the deal we had made over his body, as ever-kind Asclepius told him that he would have to prove his worth to all before we could be together. I felt stirrings of amusement when I remembered my lover's fierce pride, how the thought of anyone doubting his skill and strength would irk him so.

It was in the midst of my giggling at the situation that she appeared behind me.

"He is bound to fail," said Eris. Goddess of discord and strife, she wanted nothing more than to get under my skin and cause trouble. Daughter of Nyx, the night goddess, Eris was always looking for ways to bring contention to us on Mount Olympus.

And she did not fail me now.

"You lover will fail, and his life will once more belong to Hades. You've no one but that brother of yours to blame. Sure, that mortal would die soon anyway… but to think that you could have had more time with him. If only Apollo hadn't tricked you…" she trailed off, ending her statement with a _tsk, tsk_ noise. I tried to ignore her even as I felt her cold, calculating gaze boring metaphorical holes in my back.

"Eris, let our dear sister alone," came the slow drawl of Aphrodite. "She cannot help her love for the mortal, can she? We may as well give him a chance." She giggled a bit behind her hand, as if the thought of him succeeding was ridiculously funny to her, extremely outrageous.

I was quickly becoming irritated with their distractions, but I did have one true defender.

Sister Pallas Athena, goddess of warfare and reason, came forth and cast a scathing glance in their respective directions. "You shame yourselves. We have no reason to doubt this mortal. On the contrary, I have seen him perform many heroic acts. Perhaps he will succeed with the inspiration our dear sister provides," she declared. She nodded to me with a small smile on her face at the mention of me providing him inspiration and I found a blush spreading across my features.

Athena was the embodiment of feminine strength and I liked to think that we were similar in that way. We did not indulge in the childish arguments of our family members and we had ever been on friendly terms.

I turned my attention once more to my looking glass to see my Hunter returned to his full strength. Still he stood with my father and nephew, not afraid in the least. I felt a rush of pride flower in my chest at the sight of him standing with the King of the Gods, not intimidated and sure of his own strength.

"I must prove myself worthy of her attentions or I return to the Underworld," he clarified, his voice ringing strong in what may have been a question if he had not spoken it as a statement.

Asclepius nodded in response. "Yes. You know, many of the gods fear for her. Her infatuation with you seems to have grown to inordinate levels, so do not be surprised if you find you are met with resistance. Many may fight against you in this. The true test of your strength will be in your dealings with those of us that would harm you."

My love inclined his head to show that he had heard. Almost as an afterthought, he asked Asclepius, "Will you be among those that would hinder my progress?" His voice held no hint of accusation. It was merely a question, and I knew that he would take the answer in stride, no matter what it was.

Asclepius, that kind healer, gave an easy mirthful chuckle.

"I brought you back, did I not? To do such and then work for your death would be a bit of a contradiction on my part, I should say." His kind smile reached his eyes and his laugh lines crinkled with mirth. Truth be told, Asclepius would never willingly hurt anyone. And he knew that to hurt the Hunter was to bring me pain. Asclepius had always been fond of me in a friendly way and to bring me pain was something he would never do; it was simply not in his nature.

His declaration was met with a soft "Hn," of assent before my father turned to him.

"Set your task, mortal. The gods will be watching." With that booming statement, Zeus promptly vanished from the side of the Hunter, only to reappear in our midst on Mount Olympus.

Seeing me with the glass clutched in my hands, he gave a soft shake of the head before turning and walking away. I ignored him and looked back at my glass. Asclepius had gone too, and my love stood on the shore alone, his hair ruffled by the sea breeze.

He stood looking out over the vast stretch of water, his usually emotionless eyes betraying his confusion. His brow wrinkled in a way that told me he was lost, unsure of what task could bring us back together. My heart ached for him and I wondered if he knew of the reasons behind his death. Something told me he knew, but I could not be sure if I was forgiven. After all, most were not put in the position of having to forgive their killer. And it didn't help that the killer was his lover.

I hoped against all hope that we would once more be together, that we could put this all behind us. My only desire was to be with my Hunter once more, to roam the forests of Crete as we had done for so long.

It was then that I realized his life was more important to me than my own happiness. For even if he could not forgive me, I wished for him to live and become happy without me. I longed for him to see past my betrayal and join me again in the hunt, but if he could not… I at least wanted him to be safe.

I've come to realize that this was the true measure of my love. That I cared more for his happiness than my own should have told me that I was in much too deep.

/|\\

I watched him. Always I watched him, staring into the looking glass as if hoping he would feel my gaze if it was strong enough, know that I guarded him so fiercely. I came to wish for many things, one of them being that he would feel the caress of my eyes upon his back as he ran through the forest.

His task did not seem to be set specifically. I saw him wandering about much as he had always been wont to do. This became another of my wishes – to know his thoughts, to understand every bit of what was going on in his mind.

Just to add to my headache it seemed, the gods of Mount Olympus did not cease their prattle about my Hunter. They would wonder aloud how long it would be until his life was forfeit, what task he would choose, and how long until we can kill him again? I took it all in stride, but my anger grew to dangerous levels and I was quite sick of their childish ramblings. They spoke as if I was not there, pretending to be surprised at my presence when I turned to glare in their general direction.

"Oh, dear sister! My apologies. It was like you weren't even there, so intent upon your looking glass as you have been," they would say.

None of them understood. Their dealings with mortals were limited to meaningless flings and toying with their lives. Yes, the gods would cause wars among those that worshipped them. And then they would take sides as the fighting continued, working to kill the people of the opposing side. It was such a juvenile pastime and in the tradition of children, they would forget about it and move on as soon as one side was either completely decimated or had given up.

I knew it could only be so long until they became sick of just watching and decided it was high time to get involved.

It began innocently enough I suppose. They would send small obstacles just to delay him more than anything else, though none of us knew yet what his intentions were. Hera sent her sacred birds, swarms of peacocks, to block his way. He was then met with the snakes of Ares and even attacked by the doves of Aphrodite.

I had no concerns for him in the face of these minor adversities. My only worry was that the immortals would soon cross the line and interfere entirely too much.

Such came to pass one day, just like any other. The Hunter was in the forest, his dogs baying after game and he following with his spear at the ready. Then I saw through my looking glass the form of a great dog appear before my mortal love.

The dog engaged the Hunter, spinning and twirling in the air, dodging his swift blows. The mortal came to no harm, but he began to tire and I feared for his life. But then, being the fearsome fighter that he was, my lover saw an opening and just as his spearpoint was but a fraction of an inch away from contact, the ferocious beast disappeared with a _pop_ and in its place stood the god Menoitios.

"Ha! Nice try, mortal," said the god of rash action. "You will have to do better than that to uphold your end of the bargain, though."

Once again I felt pride in my heart when my Hunter showed no puzzlement or surprise at the sudden appearance of this god. He also showed no signs of just having been engaged in battle, for his chest did not heave with effort and not a drop of sweat glistened upon his brow.

"Oh?" he asked with a tinge of amusement in his deep, booming voice. "It seems that, had you not transformed, I would have been the victor." His words brought me great entertainment, but I wished he had not said such. Menoitios was truly a brash god, and there was no telling what he would do to my love if he became angered.

Menoitios smirked maliciously, showing entirely too many of his teeth for it to be truly without hatred. "Funny, mortal. Though I suggest you become a bit more serious about your task. The road ahead is difficult, and you have not even set a goal yet. Time is running out."

"I will admit, I know not how to go about proving my worth. My strength is great and I am undefeated. What would the gods wish to see for me to prove myself?" It was then that I felt the first stirrings of dread. Taking advice from Menoitios was a poor decision, for not only was Menoitios god of rash action, he was the god of violent anger and I feared that his rage had been stoked by the Hunter's almost-victory.

The immortal's smile widened. "Well, I would advise you to think of what you are good at. I have heard tell of your exploits, exterminating beasts and conquering vicious animals. I suppose you could make it your mission to destroy the greatest beast in all the land. But I fear even that may not be enough." Menoitios began circling my lover like a bird of prey and the look in his eyes was absolutely feral.

Others had begun to peer at my looking glass now, straining to see over my shoulder. They were enjoying the show immensely, that much I could tell.

"So," replied my Hunter, "what are you suggesting? That I destroy all the beasts of the land? That is an enormous task. It is folly to even believe it possible."

"Hm. And I thought you were the strongest hunter alive? How very sad that you cannot carry out such a simple task. You are obviously not a worthy companion for our Huntress." I could see where this was going and I felt absolutely sickened. Nothing good could come of Menoitios' counsel.

The resolve shone in the eyes of my Hunter and I knew then that it was sealed. He would uphold his end of the bargain in this way if it took him to the ends of the earth and back.

"Fine. I will carry out this task, if it means that I may prove my valor. I will destroy all the beasts of the earth and sky, showing to the gods that I belong with my lady of the Forests and Hills."

With this firm declaration, Menoitios laughed and disappeared as the Hunter set off on his journey.

/|\\

He was strong, no one could deny this fact. He extinguished many beasts in his first days and covered much ground. The gods became even more angered when they saw his success, the way he blew through all of their obstacles with ease. I became hopeful once more in the face of his victories and began to imagine what it would be like when we were reunited.

So wrapped up was I in my girlish fantasies that I did not see the maneuvers of the consorted pair Apate and Dolos.

Both Apate and Dolos were minor gods, tricksters both. They enjoyed the adventure of deceit, a lie well told. She, the daughter of Nyx and Erebus, and he the son of Gaia and Aether, god of upper air, they worked well together, striving to deceive us all and bring chaos down upon us.

It was this pair that brought word of the Hunter's intentions to the awareness of Gaia, she who is the Earth Mother. I later learned that she had felt the disturbances, but had thought little of it and not considered the possibility that it could become a larger problem. Apate and Dolos assured her that if something was not done about the Hunter soon, all of Gaia's precious life forms would be destroyed, never to walk the earth again.

You could say that this was when his fate was sealed, though I can't help but think his fate was questionable at best the moment we met.

/|\\

The Hunter went on in his quest, not knowing what exactly was taking place and how the very gods worked against him. He slew all manner of savage beasts, risking his life that he might be with me again. I watched it all in my little glass and waited for the day that both of our dreams would be realized.

I know he did not feel it, but I did. The sudden surge of power, stemming from the earth and growing to great heights. It was almost suffocating.

It was then that I saw the source of this power. For there, running toward my Hunter at full speed, was a giant scorpion. I know now that this scorpion was sent by Gaia to exact revenge upon my lover, but at the time my only thought was that I was going to lose him once again.

The scorpion came very close to the Hunter before stopping and lashing out with his tail at lightning speed. He dodged the poisonous stinger just barely, swinging out with his gold-tipped spear even as he rolled away from the danger.

The point hit home, but its destination turned out to be only one of its eight towering legs. It screamed in anger as my hands clutched the looking glass, knuckles turning white. Everyone was watching now, preferring to stare at the clearer picture in my looking glass than at the vague shapes to be seen from the top of our mountain.

The stinger lashed out once more and the Hunter dodged, almost coming into contact with the scorpion's vicious pinchers that marked the opening of its jaws. He stabbed with his weapon to no avail; the creature's armor covered its whole body and his spear was no match for the hard plates.

The Hunter was knocked back onto the ground and the stinger sped toward his vulnerable body.

What happened next I remember very little, even to this day. They say I screamed and dropped the glass, shattering it instantly. My power rushed out of me, reaching down to the earth and surrounding my mortal love, protecting him from the blow.

The only thing I remember clearly was thinking that if he died I would never see him again. I needed to be able to at least see him in my times of loneliness, or my life would be meaningless.

The next thing I knew was the deep blue of the night sky. I was surrounded by it, seeing nothing else but the star-speckled inky darkness.

And, to my utter joy and relief, came my Hunter, running to greet me with his arms open wide. We embraced in the blue depths of the sky, but only for a moment. For soon I felt his body pulled away from mine as he slowly seemed to disintegrate into a million shining shards of glass, much like my shattered mirror.

The parts of him rose into the sky, growing and growing farther apart until he was nothing but a shape in the stars.

/|\\

It is since then that people have tried to name my lover, using such names as 'Orion', though to me he will always be the Hunter.

I never would have thought to love a constellation, but that is what he is now. Gaia also took it upon herself to make her scorpion a being of the stars, so that he may forever battle with my lover in the night sky.

I only hope that he is happy in his place among the stars. He has his two hunting dogs, Canis Minor and Canis Major, to aid him in his hunting of Lepus the hair in between battles with Scorpio.

Long ago I lost my love to the hatred of the gods, those I call my family. Still, I am one of them and it is not in my nature to hold a grudge. But in the face of my lost love I have decided to forever be chaste, to never lay with a man.

For I could never love another as I love my Hunter.

/|\\

See if you can guess the deities! I gave some of them personalities from IY characters and I want to see if they came through. There's Miroku, Sango, Kikyo in all of her biatchy glory, and Inuyasha (sorta but not too much), in addition to Sesshoumaru and Kagome.


End file.
